Give me an I, and a P, and an L! Viewers go gaga for cricket as cheerleaders help draw an audience of 140 million

The verdict is out! The sixth season of Indian Premier League (IPL) has successfully put paid to speculation about the T20 cricket extravaganza's waning popularity.

The numbers say it all.

According to television audience measurement (TAM) data, the first 16 games of IPL 6 recorded a staggering viewership of 140 million, almost double the 78 million for the same number of matches at the dawn of the tournament in 2008.

IPL's strengthened pull on audiences can largely be attributed to a crucial factor at play this season - Hindi commentary.

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The launch of Sony Six, a sports channel that carries commentary in Hindi, has helped take the tournament to audiences in the heartland.

"Hindi commentators have revived the old-world charm associated with listening to cricket commentary on the radio. Sony Six got instant attention as it helped bring novelty in the cricket-viewing experience for audiences in the Hindi-speaking belt," said Neeraj Vyas, executive vice-president, Set Max.

IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla credited the intensified enthusiasm to matches being taken to smaller cities hitherto left off the tournament map.

"Tickets in smaller cities such as Raipur and Ranchi, where IPL has reached for the first time, were sold out as soon as the counters opened," he said.

"Over the years, we have brought the best cricketing talent to the tournament and spectators are thronging to watch them in action," Shukla added.

The trend is perhaps clearest in the enthusiasm witnessed among Delhiites, who have been flocking to the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium not only to cheer for Delhi Daredevils, but also for city boy Virat Kohli and star-of-the-season Chris Gayle, both of whom play for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

IPL's popularity has even struck a blow on the viewership of Hindi general entertainment channels.

A match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in fact, saw a TRP of 4.2, higher than the current top-rated prime-time show, Diya Aur Bati Hum, which boasted of a TRP of 3.9. Could things possibly be different in cricket-crazy India?

AUDIENCE SEEMS DIVIDED OVER CHEERLEADERS AS IPL DROPS SCANDAL

By Tanya Banon and Nimerta Chawla

IPL might be the biggest source of 'sportstainment' in India but it hasn't lived up to its controversial image this year.

While there's been plenty of action on the field, scandals have been conspicuous by their absence in IPL 6.

Besides, even the cheerleaders have failed to impress with their done-to-death routines and rather glamourless outfits.

The audience seems divided when it comes to cheerleaders.

However, though they often find themselves at the receiving end of the moral police's wrath - with an MLA even likening them to Playboy playmates, cheerleaders are undoubtedly one of the tournament's main draws.

This season has also failed to throw up a girl with the spunk of sacked South African cheerleader Gabriella Pasqualotto, whose tell all blog 'The Secret Diary of an IPL cheerleader' made headlines back in 2011.